Five Irish referees will take charge of matches in the opening two rounds of this season's Heineken Cup, with former Shannon and Munster winger John Lacey set to make his Heineken Cup refereeing debut on Friday, October 8.

Nigel Owens will become only the fourth referee to take charge of 50 Heineken Cup matches when the leading Welsh official takes charge of the round 1 clash between French champions Clermont Auvergne and Saracens at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Saturday, October 9.

Tournament organisers ERC have announced the referees for the opening two rounds of European club rugby's two top tournaments, the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup.

Owens will join Irish pair Alan Lewis and Alain Rolland and English official Chris White in reaching the half century of Heineken Cup matches - Lewis taking his record mark to 67 matches when he controls tournament newcomers Toulon's home match against the Ospreys.

And making their Heineken Cup refereeing bows will be Ireland's John Lacey, who will take charge of Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique in round 1, and JP Doyle of England, who will control Perpignan against Benetton Treviso in round 2.

Lacey, the former Shannon and Munster winger who scored four tries in six Heineken Cup appearances for his native province in the 1997/98 tournament, joins Rolland (Leinster) and Malcolm Changleng (Borders) in both playing in and refereeing Heineken Cup matches.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Dudley Phillips and Italian official Carlo Damasco will have the honour of getting the new European club rugby season up and running when they take charge of the opening Amlin Challenge Cup matches on Thursday, October 7.